And you thought getting packages by unmanned drone was cool.
An Amazon patent available through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office details plans to create an "airborne fulfillment center." Basically, a flying warehouse. According to CNBC, Amazon was awarded the patent on the fulfillment center in April.
The patent says the warehouse could remain at a high altitude, and drones "with ordered items may be deployed from the AFC to deliver ordered items to user designated delivery locations."
The patent also says shuttles could deliver more inventory to the warehouse, as well as transport employees.
Images accompanying the patent feature a blimp as the chosen airship for the fulfillment center, although it's not clear the vehicle will be part of Amazon's final design.
Amazon envisions using this concept beyond delivering customer orders. An example used in the patent details how the flying warehouse could be deployed during an event like a football game. The warehouse could stock specific items such as sporting apparel or food, then relocate near the event so customers could order items and have them quickly delivered by drone.The patent also says in some cases, the fulfillment center could "navigate to a lower altitude and provide advertising."The details of the patent cap what has been a wild month for Amazon, which delivered its first package by drone earlier this month. The test was completed in the United Kingdom, and kicks off a pilot testing period for drone delivery. Amazon still awaits approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to start delivering packages in the U.S. by drone.When it's not working on delivery technology, Amazon is opening grocery stores without checkout lines. The company is testing out the concept in Seattle. Users tap their smartphones as they enter the store to log in, and users add items through an app. When the customer walks out, the app charges their Amazon account.
